Hardware Canucks - Alienware ALX??

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Is there anyone here that might know what,if any,difference there is between the Alienware Area 51 ALX and the Area 51 non ALX? I have been double checking the Alienware Canada site and there is no difference that I can find. The specs.,case size etc.is all the same other than the ALX being about $700,00 more.I could "customise" both models with exactly the same power,proc., ram,video etc. but the ALX is more money. Why? I clicked around on thier site but found no references to any advantage or disadvantage. This one really blows me away. Anyone? All input is greatly appreciated. Take care.

just wondering.. are you looking to purchase an alienware ? if so, why don't you look / ask to get a custom build made specially for you ? it would be without a doubt a way better price/performance ratio. either you could get it built (ncix ?) or do it yourself. plenty of guru overhere to help you with whatever could happen...

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Originally Posted by Behemoth- (Post 360707)

I already did buy the Alienware Area 51 ALX,but,after I revisited thier site and checked out the specs more carefuly,I found no difference. Case size etc. all seemed equal other than no sound card as an option in the non ALX. I know I can biuld my own and save some money but, I prefer to have the warranty and having it properly configured by Dell.That way, if there are any problems,it becomes a Dell [Alienware] problem. I believe that potential buyers of the Area 51 ought to take a very close look at the two Area 51 models.

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Alienware is offering two flavours of this system, in the guise of the Aurora and Aurora ALX, alongside the more expensive and traditionally sized Area 51 models. Alienware likes to compare the ALX brand to the M badge that BMW gives to its high-performance cars – but we don’t believe that this is an analogy that quite works for reasons we’ll explain later.

The differences between the standard Aurora and the pimped out ALX are subtle, as many of the core components are the same. However, unlike the Aurora, you can select 1,600MHz DDR3 RAM for your Aurora ALX, rather than just 1,067MHz or 1,333MHz memory. It also has more customisable light zones and an LED that turns on automatically when you take off the case side. This is a great idea as it enables you to easily see inside your case when performaing maintenance or upgrades. While we’re all used to a light turning on when you open a car door, it’s the first time we’ve seen it in a PC, so expect to see this feature copied by many high end cases from here on in.

The key difference between the Aurora and Aurora ALX though is, literally, a stand-out feature. The Aurora ALX has a row of vents on the top of the case that lift up when you boot the PC. It makes the Aurora ALX look alive, with the opening gills of a monster as it draws breath, and visually, it’s undeniably impressive. Alienware supplies its own Command Centre software, which you can use to configure the vents to lift when the CPU hits a given temperature, much as the spoiler on a sports car lifts automatically when you hit a certain speed for increased stability.

bit-tech.net | Review - Alienware Aurora ALX PC Review

Quote:

Originally Posted by rapmaster (Post 360810)

bit-tech.net | Review - Alienware Aurora ALX PC Review

Still nothing about Area 51 and ALX. What is the difference? Why is it several hundred dollers more than the Area 51 non ALX? Can not find anything about it at tech.net either. Alienwares best kept secret?

I know one difference is in the Chassis. The ALX has a feature where these vents automatically open up on the top to let excess heat out when the system is running really hot. Also, I think another difference is that the ALX has an all-in-one LCS on the CPU, but for all i know the non-ALX might have the LCS as well. Hopes this helps

Here are the differences with the Aurora ALX:

- More upgrade options (PSU, etc.)
- Upgraded cooling and chassis
- Different Command Center software
- Single HD 5870 (versus 2x 5670)
- 6GB memory (versus 3GB)
- Dual 500GB HDDs in RAID (versus single 500GB)

However, when configured equally, the Aurora is $1649 while the ALX is $2299. Os the $650 difference worth it? I doubt it.

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Originally Posted by SKYMTL (Post 361057)

That is exactly my point. I read about a zillion posts at the Alienware forums and I now understand that there is no performance advantages between the Area 51 ALX and non ALX. What you do get.are the frills with the 51 ALX fancier mouse,key board.moterized doors etc. You can configure the non ALX Area 51 to equal the power video ram and the like. Strangely,the non ALX does not have an option for a sound card. Other than that,they are the identical machine, I/m talking about the Area 51s here as they are the models that are easy to make a mistake on when making a purchase. All possible or potential buyers beware! Look very closely at those models and thier specs before any ordering. Thanks to all responding.

Interesting to note for sure.

ALthough here I am fairly certain you wont' see too many people shopping for an Alienware (Dell lol) anytime soon as you get a lot more bang for your buck when you build it yourself from my own experience anyways.

I did own one, years ago , many years ago lol. It was nice but I get much more statisfaction out of what I build these days.

ST

I'dd also be curious to know what brand and stuff they use. Are motherboard/ram/PSU/cooling solutions for OC'ed CPU's and the like really high quality stuff to justify the (way too high) quote ? (Corsair dominator memory? seasonic PSU's ? EVGA classified mobo's ?)